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Ascom Expands Network Testing Portfolio for Evolving Networks

Ascom (News - Alert), a provider of mission critical communications, announced it is showcasing its Network Testing offerings at major wireless industry events around the world, beginning with Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) in Barcelona, Spain.

Formed by merging Ascom’s Mobile Test Solutions with recent acquisitions including Argogroup, Comarco (News - Alert), and TEMS, the Network Testing division enables the largest install base in the industry to test, monitor, and optimize wireless networks, company officials said.

These solutions target network operators, infrastructure vendors, service providers, and government agencies, the company said. The products offer a subscriber perspective that improves network planning, troubleshooting, optimization, and benchmarking activities.

“Ascom has assembled the strongest portfolio in the industry,” Rikard Lundqvist, general manager of the Ascom Network Testing division, said in a statement. “Our advanced end-to-end solutions are proven, innovative, and perfectly complement each other.”

According to Ascom officials, the testing solutions address the full wireless network lifecycle, from initial planning through network maturity. Along with high-quality voice services, the offerings support the explosive growth of mobile broadband data and content services.

Ascom’s Network Testing supports all major telecommunications technologies from any infrastructure vendor, with a special emphasis on the latest emerging technology standards. The portfolio spans the areas of planning and design, test and measurement, benchmarking and monitoring and reporting and analysis, company officials said.

In addition to Mobile World Congress, Ascom will display its Network Testing portfolio at CTIA Wireless, Convergence India, CommunicAsia (News - Alert), and P&T / Expo Comm later this year.

Earlier in February Ascom announced a series of enhancements to its extensive service offerings that will roll out to customers during the first half of 2010. They include their Product Protection Plans or “PPP” which extend the standard warranty and cover the repair and replacement of handsets and a new UNITE Maintenance Plan or “UMP” to replace its traditional Software Maintenance Plans or “SMP.”

Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.